REPORT from
the meeting of the IFBDO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, Saturday 11 October 2003 in Ajaccio.

P. COLAMARTINO President

R. RIAHI - F FERRUA Vice - Presidents

N. MIKKELSEN Secretary-general

R. LABADIE Treasurer General

F. BELOUAFI Continental Delegate Africa

J. MOREIRA ALVES Responsible for mission for the lusiphones countries

J.M.DURANT Responsible for mission near the Secretary-general

M. MAZZINE Responsible for mission near the Treasurer General

G. VANHOVE Responsible for mission near the Treasurer General

C. PIOTTON Member of the Control Commission

D. PARAMEZZA Member of the Control Commission

D. RAY Continental Delegate Asia

M. TEDESCO DAL SECCO Continental delegate South America

LORRAIN J.G Continental delegate North America

P. HEIMER Advisor to the President

L.C. PETRO Member of the Commission of Control.

 M CH.TOUHOUCHE Responsible for mission for the African Continental Delegate

G. SIMIGIATOS Responsible for mission for Balkans

CH. DAMASE RYNCE AGASSOUSSI Responsible for mission for sub-Saharan Africa 

to the African Continental Delegate 

***** 

In the name of the French Federation for the Voluntary Gift of Blood, F FERRUA welcomes the Delegations present, then wishes them a good stay in Corsica and a good and profitable work, in friendship and good spirit.

¶With this intention, the (reduced) organising Committee had done its outmost, so that the reception, lodging and restoration could give full satisfaction to all the participants during their stay in the vacation village of the personnel of electric gas and nuclear industries, spontaneously placed at our disposal by its director. 

¶The following additions were proposed: 

Ä At item 5, chapter 3: program VITA 

Ä At item 5, chapter 13: project of creating an African Federation 

Ä At item 5, chapter 16: International Thalassaemia Federation

Ä In various questions: demand for assistance from AVIS in Tuscany

The Secretary General thanks cordially and congratulates the Organizers of the meeting which was held in RABAT, from the 21 to May 25, 2003, for the reception which was reserved to the Delegates, for the perfect organization of the working days and for the excellent conditions from which everyone had been able to profit during their stay in Morocco, be it at the time of the arrival to the airport or during the days spent in RABAT. 

He has to regret the weak participation in the General Assembly, where the same subjects were examined again by the same participants as in the preceding meetings, which resulted in a lack of interest and the writing of an official report which, in fact, doubles or triples the work. 

The current State of the Treasury reveals a total expenditure in 2003 of 7105 € for a total income 6865 €; late-coming contributions are awaited, but R. LABADIE points out, that the problems are recurring with adherent Associations which do not pay their contributions. That is even less acceptable when these same Associations take part in the life of the IFBDO. 

Other entries are hoped with the awaited assistances of the EU but also thanks to sponsoring activity. 

The Representative of Portugal was pleased to announce an improvement of the situation of finances of his Association and thus he made a corrective payment covering 2001, 2002, and 2003. 

E. RIAHI, recording the indelicacy of certain Member States, recalls that his Association was obliged to compensate for the unpaid participations of 3500 dollars.

The IVORY COAST, BRAZIL and ARGENTINA had informed of their impossibility of paying the contribution 2003. 

BENIN did not take action on the call of contribution: 

The action plan approved at the time of the GA in RABAT has a part covering the policy of financing of the IFBDO

In agreement with P. COLAMARTINO and R. LABADIE, G VANHOVE had prepared a dossier which he submits to the reflexion and later approval of the Council. This file includes a project for an ethical charter, extracts of the Statutes (recalling the aims of the IFBDO), the list of the Members, the strategic plan as well as a reply coupon. This file could be addressed, with an accompanying letter, to the targeted and accepted Companies. (each Member State could communicate other names and addresses of Companies to be contacted).

The donating Companies could publicise their support to the IFBDO. The proposed term "godfather" had a bad connotation in some countries, so another term could be found. It was, however, accepted in French.

This project receives the unanimous approval of the Members present who ask that it be quickly put into action. 

It is in addition decided that it will be the IFBDO that sends the letter directly to the Company, a copy of the correspondence being systematically addressed to the Association of the country concerned. There was unanimous agreement, that the funds collected were owned by the IFBDO, without any transfers.

R. LABADIE will then send a letter of thanks to the sponsors, as well as a copy of the FIODS Review; according to the legislation of the country, a tax receipt could be joined. 

N. MIKKELSEN proposes to put the sponsors on the internet site of the IFBDO. 

When simultaneous statutory meetings are held, the official reports are often identical and thus mirrors each other or are superimposed. It is thus unanimously decided to make, with respect to our statutes, reports which emphasize the essential elements and particularly the decisions taken. 

However, and in order to avoid possible complaints, the meetings will henceforth be recorded. The cassettes will be preserved by the Secretary-general in case it is required to consult them later on. 

In accordance with the decision taken in RABAT, the Statutes currently in force, will be deposited in MONACO, place of the registration of the IFBDO. 

b) ACTION PLAN 

P. COLAMARTINO briefly points out the program approved at the time of the GA in RABAT, which is split up in 5 parts: 

Ä General Policy (P. COLAMARTINO) 

Ä International co-operation (F FERRUA) 

Ä Policy of human resources (E RIAHI) 

Ä Policy of Communication and Development (N MIKKELSEN) 

Ä Policy of Financing (R. LABADIE) 

The coordinators will have to prepare their own programs quickly so that they can be presented and discussed at the time of the next General Assembly. All the points were already largely detailed and are all very important for the future of our Federation. However and in the strict respect of financial constraints, each program will have to be spread out in time for its realization. 

P. COLAMARTINO specifies that other projects are to be prepared also to be presented at the GA: they are, the Foundation, the organization of the secretariat, the composition of the group of representation at the European Union in BRUSSELS and the working group. 

J.M. DURANT advertises the decision taken by the Board of directors of the French Federation to agree to lodge the head Administrative office of the IFBDO in its buildings, located 28 Rue Saint-Lazare in PARIS. However, this could only be effective after the National Congress of the Federation which will be held from 19 to 22 May 2004, during which the new board will be elected, which will have the responsibility to define, with the IFBDO, the distribution of services, as regards personnel or various communications. At that time also nearly all of the personnel will be renewed, which will allow for a better distribution of the various tasks to be ensured on behalf of the IFBDO. 

P. COLAMARTINO expresses his recognition to the French Federation for this decision and thanks it for the assistance and the facilitation that this will bring in the rational operation of the IFBDO. 

Then he recalls that the registration of the IFBDO remains in MONACO, the administrative seat will be in PARIS and there will be a representation of the IFBDO at the European Union in BRUSSELS. 

Reconsidering the programs, Mr. MAZZINE questions the President on the function of the members who make up the working group. Will these members have a function with the coordinators in charge of the other programs, or will the initiative be left to the various persons in charge to present their projects, which validated by GA will be the future programs? 

P. COLAMARTINO recalls that there are five programs and thus five coordinators who will have a strategy to set up in practice. 

The various programs will have to reach him before February 15, 2004 so that they can be subject to the approval of the EC, April 15, 2004, at the General Assembly in MALTA. 

These programs will be distributed before February 17, 2004, to the members of the EC then to all our members. A parallel mail will be addressed to all the presidents of adherent National Associations to invite them to present candidatures to work in the various working groups; it could also be an opportunity to start the integration of young people. 

J.M. DURANT can fully follow the president, but fears that the allowed time is a little short to present concrete projects during the meeting at MALTA. 

P. COLAMARTINO thinks that they will rather be pre-projects - to be subjected to the opinion of the EC - which will make it possible to advance in the reflexion necessary to the realization of such a program. 

N. MIKKELSEN suggests a program of work for MALTA which would begin with the EC on April 15, 2004, followed the 16^th by working group meetings, and ending with the GA on April 17. 

*** Pause from 12h00 to 14h20 *** 

c) EUROBLOODNET + program VITA 

The project EUROBLOODNET is currently on standby awaiting the decision of the European Commission. As soon as the Commission rules, it will rest with us to formulate and present a new prospect. 

The fundamental importance of the voluntary non-remunerated donation, protecting the human health, is now universally identified by the international community. The following general principles have been ratified: 

Ä European and international provisioning carried out by VNR donation , 

Ä VNR donation ensures the highest levels of transfusional safety,

Ä the principle of non-alienation and non-commercialisation of the human body and its tissues must be respected, 

The European Medical Commission, on request formulated by the IFBDO, has proposed to the Budget Committee the financing of a project of experimental program on the promotion of the VNR Blood donation on the European level. 

However, private industry develops a program completely different from ours and is supported by civil servants of the EU which do not favour our message. So we must try to influence the States which can make decisions which are not in the field of the EU. From this stems our current difficulty to obtain financing from the member states of the EU. 

What makes E RIAHI say that this duality is likely to darken the future of the projects of the IFBDO.  Our ethics should not be touched without our reaction.

The strategy to be developed with the WHO and the Red Cross/Red Crescent can be a possibility for the IFBDO to highlight our ethics, answers P. COLAMARTINO. 

An agreement with these organizations is thus more than ever necessary and essential to make the detractors of VNR donation fail. 

G. VANHOVE shares his disappointment after we have had positive information earlier on the will of Europe to support us and to help us financially. 

N. MIKKELSEN knows that one needs much time and patience to change mentalities and thinks, as an example of this, on the European Directive which we after all succeeded in amending. It consequently returns to us not to drop the pressure on our Members of the European Parliament. 

He is joined in that by P. COLAMARTINO, who, identifying the political aspect of the problem, wants to launch immediately a true sensitising to all our Members of the European Parliament on VNR donation. 

With reference to the legitimate concerns of the African countries brought forward by E RIAHI vis-a-vis to the difficulties encountered by the donors at the European level,

N MIKKELSEN reassures that in the EU, the great majority of the countries favour our ethics. 

In conclusion, it is decided to assemble an action plan for VNR donation over the period 2005/2007. 

d) REPRESENTATION IN BRUSSELS (REGIONS)

The IFBDO, as an NGO, does not have any official representation at the European Union in BRUSSELS. The solution could pass by a participation with associations of Belgium; or by the means of relationships to some national or regional governmental institutions (for instance Regione Abruzzo). 

Perhaps it would be judicious to open the IFBDO to regions in the way of Québec for Canada, and Geneva for Switzerland. For the moment it was proposed to accept the French speaking organisation from Belgium and the Faeroe Islands as a completely autonomous entity within the Kingdom of Denmark. This proposal was accepted unanimously by the Members of the EC. 

e) IFBDO FOUNDATION  

It proves to be necessary to make a study of the possibilities of realization of the Foundation, in particular in financial matters, in the European countries (outside Italy). 

Its Board of Directors could be opened to other partners, with the blood donors preserving, in all cases, the majority within the board. 

The decision of the place of the legal seat will be the subject of a reflexion at the time of the next EC. R. LABADIE could well see it in ITALY or in BRUSSELS. 

f) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 

No major comment were made. 

Answering the interrogation of J.M. FURANT on the validity of the signature of the Donor to the bottom of the questionnaire, P. COLAMARTINO makes clear, that it is actually a suppression of the responsibility for the donor, more than any other thing. 

g) ADVISORY STATUS WITH THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE 

The maintenance is assured by the sending of an activity report of the IFBDO. This was done as of September 11, 2003. 

h) WORLD BLOOD DONOR DAY. 

From 2004, this day is fixed on June 14. 

Common meetings with WHO, the Red Crosses and the ISBT have taken place in ISTANBUL and GENEVA. 

An advertisement will be made on our new Internet site, wbdd.org which will comprise the work completed by our associations, as well as a bank of photographs relating to propaganda, etc... The site is updated by our Secretary General.

N. MIKKELSEN will continue the investigations by using the expertise of the WHO and the Red Cross, perhaps with a financial support of the ISBT. 

i) ANNUAL REPORT 

The need for starting the FIODS-review again does not have to proven to show what it can represent for all the blood donors. However, the financial aspect for its realization is not without budgetary incidence nor the expenses of distribution, which it generates. 

Moreover, it is of primary importance to send articles making it possible to the Secretary-General to produce a sufficient number of pages being of attractive interest.

E. RIAHI already makes print, for the review of Tunisian Association, of 3000 specimens at an unit cost of 1,20 € and proposes to make the realization of next FIODS-review (in 3 languages). To this end, he asks that people send photographs and texts to him. 

P. COLAMARTINO makes a point of specifying that the development falls within the group "Development - Communication", and that the lay-out is the responsibility of the printer which must provide us with a blueprint before any printing. 

The distribution will be done per package to the adherent associations, the forwarding costs remaining will be at the cost of the IFBDO. 

j) INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FORUM (Poitiers) 

The summary report of work of the Forum, presented by J.M.DURANT highlights the seriousity and the maturity of the young people who made, during this session, an interesting work which took into account the achieved results while integrating the present and projecting in the future. (annex joint). 

The Board of Directors of the French Federation, consulted in writing, very strongly decided in favour of the establishment of a Committee of young people within the IFBDO.

N. MIKKELSEN was pleased to highlight the extraordinary experience that this FORUM represented for all the young people, who left with a lot of enthusiasm. 

G. VANHOVE adds that the Federal Board of the French Federation at its recent meeting together reflected on the integration of "young people" for instance as substitutes for the Federal Administrators. Their governing council will define the manner to associate them.

N. MIKKELSEN, referring to the successful experience in DENMARK, gave favourable credit to the young people who were sent to POITIERS by their national Federations. 

M. MAZZINE raised the question about the number of young people who will take part at this Committee?

G. VANHOVE thinks that in the first place, it is necessary to define the framework of their reception and the missions which will fall on to them. It was premature to talk about a Committee and, certainly not as in the organigramme, which came out of Poitiers

N. MIKKELSEN is charged to prepare the groundwork as well as the contents to be given this Committee. This will be done in consultation with the young people and then with the National Federations for designation of their representatives. 

The candidature of SENEGAL for the organization of the Fourth YOUTH FORUM, even if it is of considerable interest for the Africa – Europe relations, cannot be retained, because of the travelling expenses that it represents for the young people. E. RIAHI proposes the candidature of TUNISIA. In addition, F BELOUAFI, Continental delegate for Africa, shares his regrets not to be informed directly by this candidature from SENEGAL. The EC thinks that it would be good, if SENEGAL would be a candidate for hosting the EC, for example. 

k) CONTINUATION OF THE DIALOGUE AFRICA/EUROPE 

Many contacts are established and are active between associations of the two continents. 

J. MOREIRA ALVES reports the connections which exist between the African countries of Portuguese language (MOZAMBIQUE) and the Portuguese association. 

E. RIAHI asks whether it would be possible to create an African Federation which would be under the umbrella of the IFBDO? That would in particular make it possible to profit from funds coming from countries such as LYBIA.

N. MIKKELSEN spoke against this proposal which, in the long term, could oppose the operation and even the basis of the IFBDO, not least because it was against the Statutes. Let us not create another structure which could come in opposition with the African Continental Committee. Our common interest is to unite us to reinforce us and not to distract us to diminish us. 

M. MAZZINE ardently recommends prudence before anything else; she suggests waiting. 

G. VANHOVE stresses the need for activating the project in the Continental Delegation. 

He recalls that he is waiting for the statistical data from the African countries to supplement the diaporama presented in an incomplete way in RABAT. 

l) PREPARATION OF A GUIDE FOR OBTAINING VISAS 

At the occasion of the Third Youth Forum, the French Federation was seized by many requests of assistance for obtaining of visas, more particularly for the nationals of African countries.

These difficulties are at several levels: legislation of the countries; requests formulated within too short times; obvious absence of credibility of certain participations, etc...

It thus appears essential for the future to do everything possible, so that similar disappointments or similar refusal are not repeated. For that J.M. DURANT was asked to work out a procedural guide, which could be used by future candidates. 

m) - CO-OPERATION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES + RECRUITMENT-SEMINAR IN CHINA IN 2004.

A meeting in GENEVA with the Red Cross seems to be necessary for the defense and the respect of our common objectives, even if the engagement of this organization as regards blood donation has somewhat regressed. 

Such a meeting could nevertheless launch the bases of future co-operation. 

The recruitment seminar, which will take place in CHINA, from the 3 -7 April, 2004, will be centered on youth, the recruitment of donors, promotion of blood donation and ethics.

P. COLAMARTINO thinks that the IFBDO cannot miss this great opportunity and proposes the participation of a member of our Organization. The cost is approximately 800 €, the organizing country will cover a part of this. Unanimous agreement of the members present. 

n) STUDY ON STEM-CELLS 

The detractors of blood donation are currently making a campaign which can represent a real danger to the harvest of stem-cells. 

We must thus prepare a document pointing out what the stem-cells are, from where they come and what is their utility in the health system.
J.M. DURANT is responsible for preparing a file. 

VI - NEXT MEETINGS OF THE G.A. AND THE E.C. 

As that had been decided and accepted, we will find ourselves in MALTA from 15-17 April 2004., The Executive Council will thus take place the 15^th and the GA the 17^th of April. 

The members of the EC point out, however, the prohibitive prices practised on the island, which is likely to discourage a considerable number of participants. 

N. MIKKELSEN is thus in responsibility of negotiating lesser prices for lodging and food with our Maltese Friends. 

If that would prove to be difficult, even impossible, E RIAHI proposes to accomodate the GA in TUNISIA. 

Portugal stands as a candidate for the organization of the EC of the autumn 2004. Agreement of the members present. 

TUNISIA is as candidate for the organization of the GA in 2005.

R. LABADIE insists on the procedure in force that adherent associations must respect: 

Ä the proposals must pass beforehand by the National Federations 

Ä the medals must be paid before the delivery.

E RIAHI wants an invoice of the Treasurer General to be able to take out the funds necessary from the bank to discharge the amount for the allotted medals. 

Then N MIKKELSEN gives communication of the requests for medals, which he received: 

Ä FRANCE 3 files the EC gave a favourable opinion 

Ä PORTUGAL 1 file the EC gave a favourable opinion 

Ä TUNISIA 3 files were accepted in Rabat 

Note on the medals in stocks: Before the meeting in Corsica, we had 41 medals in stock

P. COLAMARTINO presents a letter from AVIS in Tuscany, in which it requests a collaboration with our Federation. 

The agenda being exhausted, the meeting is raised at 19h05. 

            Jean-Marie Durant                                                      Niels Mikkelsen
Assistant Secretary General of the IFBDO                     Secretary-general of the IFBDO